Device for starting and stopping a diesel engine

ABSTRACT

Device for starting and stopping a Diesel engine having a lock for locking a manual control element in a position thereof for opening the fuel supply conduit. The lock is electromagnetically controlled and the manual control element is maintained in the locked position, so long as the main contactor of the vehicle is in the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;on&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; position, in opposition to the action of spring return means which tend to retain the manual control element in its position for closing the fuel-supply conduit.

United States Patent Ballandras [4 1 June 6, 1972 [54] DEVICE FOR STARTING AND [56] Reierences Cited STOPPING A DIESEL ENGINE UNITED STATES PATENTS lnvemorI Pierre Balllndras, Mcntbeliard. France 993,072 5/191! Jones ..290/40 1,717,302 6/1929 Bany et ai. ..290/40 X [731 Assignees. Automobiles Peugeot, Pans, Regie Na- 7 tionfle Des Uslnes Renault Bmancoun, 2,141,624 12/1938 Smith ..290/40 X France 1 Primary Examiner-Demard A. Gilheany Filed! 1970 Assistant Examiner-W. E. Duncanson, Jr. [21] APPL No: 86,460 Attorney-Burns, Doane, Swecker 8L Mathis [5 ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Device for starting and stopping a Diesel engine having a lock Jan. 7, 1970 France ..700036l for locking 3 manual comm] element in a position thereof for 1 opening the fuel supply conduit. The lock is electromagneti- U-S- u s s s n n u I l u a I s s v s v t Q s v n I u s s s C n in the locked position, so long as the main contactor of the Field of Search ..290/3, 38, 40, 41, 48, 5 l 290/DlG. l, 34

vehicle is in the on position, in opposition to the action of spring return means which tend to retain the manual control element in its position for closing the fuel-supply conduit.

6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures twin , HIP

PATENTEDJuu 6 I972 SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG.2

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3 668 ,4 1 1 2 DEVICE FOR STARTING AND STOPPINGADIESEL The switch 6 also controls the supply of power to a coil 14 ENGINE The present invention relates to a device for starting a Diesel engine of the type comprising manually controlled means controlling the fuel supply.

It is known that a Diesel engine can only be stopped by stopping the supply of fuel to the injectors, since the mixture in the cylinders is ignited by compression and not by sparking plugs.

Usually, there is provided for this purpose a stop control or pullrod which is manually actuated for closing and mechanically actuated for opening by the operation of a main switch combined with an anti-theft device. This mechanical control is relatively complicated and imposes certain conditions of localization which prevent choosing the best positioning for the pull-rod with respect to the injection pump.

More elaborate devices are also known in which the fuel conduit is opened and closed electromechanically so as to avoid the presence of a manual stop control. Unfortunately, these devices, although satisfactory from the technical point of view, are relatively expensive owing to the power required for the electromagnet, so that such devices are not employed at the present time in mass-produced vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a starting device for a Diesel engine which, without being of prohibitive cost price, overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks of conventional manually controlled devices.

The invention provides a starting and stopping device for a Diesel engine comprising an electrical supply source, a main contactor, a preheating circuit, a starter control circuit, and a manual control element adapted to actuate a closing valve element in a fuel supply conduit, wherein a lock is adapted to lock the manual control element in the position of the manual control element which corresponds to the opening of the fuel supply conduit, said lock being electromagnetically controlled and the manual control element being maintained in the locked position so long as the main contactor of the vehicle is in the on" position, in opposition to the action of resiliently yieldable return means which tend to return the manual control element to the position thereof for closing the supply con- With this arrangement, when the user, after having placed the main contactor or switch in the on" position,brings the manual control element to its position for opening the supply conduit, the manual control element is maintained in this position by the lock. When the switch is brought back to the off position, the electromagnet is no longer supplied with current, the lock withdraws and the manual control element is automatically returned to its closing position. The supply of fuel is stopped and the engine stops.

According to another feature, the manual element is adapted to control also a switch connected in the starter control circuit so as to prevent the supply of current to the starter if the supply of fuel is stopped.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a manually controlled device for starting and stopping a Diesel engine, and

FIG. 2 is a diagram of another embodiment corresponding to a semi-automatic control.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a battery 1 supplies power to a heater circuit 2, a starting control circuit 3 and a supply circuit 4 for a starter 5. A main switch 6 controls the supply to all these circuits and the supply to the various accessories of the vehicle represented by a line 7.

The heater circuit 2 comprises a switch 8, an indicator resistor 9 and heater plugs 10. The starting control circuit 3 comprises in series two switches 11 and 12 and a relay 13 for actuating a switch a controlling the supply of power to the starter 5.

of an electromagnet having a moving element 15. The switch 11 is controlled by a stop pull-rod 16 which controls the fuel supply, for example by the actuation of a closing valve element 17 which is inserted in a fuel supply conduit 18 and generally combined with the injection pump (not shown).

A coil spring 19, or like resiliently yieldable means, tends to bias the pull-rod 16 to a position in which the switch 11 is open and the valve element 17 closed. The pull-rod is shifted in the opposite direction manually, the travel being limited by an adjustable stop 20. The pull-rod 16 can be maintained in the latter position by a notch 21 which co-operates with the moving element 15 which constitutes a lock.

The switches 8 and 12 are actuated in the known manner by another pull-rod 22 which controls the heating of the engine and the starting, and closes, when a pull is exerted thereon, first the switch 8 alone and then both the switch 8 and the switch 12, when the duration of the heating is considered sufiicient.

The device according to the invention operates in the following manner:

To supply power to the starter 5 and start up the engine, the user must previously close the main switch 6 and place the pull-rod 16 in the position shown in dot-dash line. This position corresponds to the opening of the fuel supply conduit 18. This ensures that the starter cannot be actuated without the fuel supply being open, which would otherwise result in a high and useless consumption of electrical energy. It is clear from the diagram shown in FIG. 1 that the user has also placed the pull-rod 22 in its intermediate position corresponding to the heating of the engine by means of the heater plugs 10.

When the switch 6 is opened, the coil 14 is no longer supplied with current and the lock 15 is withdrawn. The pull-rod 16 is then returned by the spring 19 to the position in which the fuel supply is stopped. This affords the important advantage of automatically stopping the engine when the user cuts off the fuel supply by opening the switch 6, and, moreover, when an incident occurs in the electrical circuit. In particular, if the vehicle is equipped in the known manner with an inertia switch adapted to cut off the electrical supply in the case of an accident, the engine would be automatically stopped with this arrangement.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the device comprises an electric supply source represented by a battery 31, a main switch 32,- an engine heating circuit 33, a battery charging circuit 34, a circuit 35 controlling the starter 36, and a circuit 37 supplying current to the heater plugs.

The main switch 32 is, if desired, associated with an antitheft device and is of the type employed in vehicles having an engine whose ignition is controlled. The switch 32 can be actuated by a key and comprise a moving contact 38 directly connected to the battery and capable of occupying at least three positions, namely, a stable first or off position in which no electrical connection is established, a stable second or on position in which the contact 38 is brought to a stud 39, and an unstable third or starter position (with an automatic return to the preceding position as soon as the key is released) in which the contact 38 establishes the connection with a stud 40 while retaining the connection with the stud 39.

The engine heating device 6 comprises the following elements: a switch 41 actuated by a relay 42 whose coil 43 is supplied with current from the stud 39 through the contact 44 of a bimetallic strip 45. The bimetallic strip opens its contact 44 when it is heated during a given period of time, for example 2-3 minutes, by a safety resistor 46 which is connected in parallel with the coil 43 and the bimetallic strip 45, a ballast resistor 47 connected in series with the heater plugs 48; a bimetallic strip 49 which closes a contact 50 when it is heated by the resistor 47 during a given period of time which varies with the surrounding temperature; an indicator 51 authorizing the starting up supplied with current by the stud 39 whose circuit is connected to earth by way of the contact 50 and contact 52 of an oil pressure switch 53 normally associated with an oil pressure indicator 54. The contact 52 is closed when the engine is stopped and opens as soon as the engine starts up.

The circuit 34 for charging the battery 3 comprises, for example, an alternator 55, a governor 56 and an indicator 57, the latter being connected in parallel with the resistor 46.

I A device controlling the fuel supply is also provided which is identical to that in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a closing valve element 58 in a fuel conduit 59, a pull-rod 60 locked in the position thereof corresponding to an open fuel conduit by a plunger 61 which penetrates a notch 60a in the pull-rod 60 and whose coil 62 is supplied with current through a stud 39. In the pulled-out position, the pull-rod 60 also closes a contact 63 connected in series with the circuit controlling the starter 36.

With astopped engine, the various component parts of the device are in the positions shown in FIG. 2 and the fuel conduit is closed, the pull-rod 60 being in the closing position. The key of the anti-theft device, if employed, can be withdrawn.

When the key is introduced and the switch 32 is brought to the on position, the steering column or any other essential part of the vehicle is unlocked. The studs 38 and 39 are interconnected, the charging indicator 57 and the oil-pressure indicator 54 light up, the coil 43 is supplied with current and closes the switch 41 and automatically causes the heating of the plugs 48 through the ballast resistor 47 The bimetallic strip 49 starts to deform under the action of the heat given ofi by the resistor 47. The safety resistor 46 starts to heat the bimetallic strip 45. The coil 62 of the plunger 61 is supplied with current. The plunger 61 bears against the pull-rod 60.

While the heating of the engine is proceeding, the driver can actuate the pull-rod 60 which is locked automatically when the notch 60a arrives in front of the end of the plunger 61. The contact 63 closes.

If actuation of the pull-rod 60 is omitted, the starter can not be supplied with current since the switch 63 remains open.

After a variable period of time, of the order of one minute, determined by the regulation of the bimetallic strip 49, the contact 50 closes and the indicator 51 lights up and indicates that the heating is sufficient and that starting up can be attempted.

The user can then actuate the switch 38 so as to bring it to the starting position, the starter is supplied with current, the heating is maintained as long as the charging indicator 57 remains lit up, that is, as long as the engine is not completely started.

When the engine has started, the switch 38 can be released and it automatically returns to the on position. The charging indicator 47 goes out, the coil 43 is no longer connected to earth and the heating stops. The oil-pressure indicator 44 and the starting authorization indicator go out, since the oilpressure switch 53 opens its contact 52.

It will be observed that if the engine is warm, full heating is not essential and the driver can actuate the starter when he desires after having switched the switch 32 to the on position and subsequently shifted the pull-rod 60.

Further, if the user does not actuate the starter after having switched the switch 32 to the on position, the bimetallic strip device 45 heated by the resistor 46 opens its contact 44 at the end of two to'three minutes. As the coil 43 is not longer supplied with current, the switch 41 opens and the cylinder heating stops.

To stop the engine, it is sufficient to switch the switch 32 to the ofF position. In this way, the general electrical circuit is cut off. As the coil 62 is no longer supplied with current, the plunger 61 withdraws and releases the pull-rod 60 which automatically returns to the position for closing the fuel supply conduit and thus stops the engine.

Apart from the additional advantages, owing in particular to the presence of the means 4146 automatically stopping the cylinder heating at the end of a predetermined period, in the event that the user does not actuate the starter and start up the engine, this device has of course the same advantages as the simpler device shown in FIG. 1.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for a starting and stopping a Diesel engine, comprising an electric supply source, a main contactor having an on and an off" position, a heating circuit, a starter for the engine, a circuit controlling the starter, an engine fuel supply conduit, a closing valve element in the supply conduit, a manual control element for actuating the valve element, a lock adapted .to lock the manual control element in a first position of the manual control element which corresponds to a position of the valve element for opening the fuel supply conduit, resiliently yieldable return means combined with the manual control element for biasing the manual control element to a second position thereof for closing the supply con duit, electromagnetic means electromagnetically controlling the lock, the manual control element being maintained in the locked position by the lock so long as the main contactor of the vehicle is in the on position, in opposition to the action of the return means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main contactor is a switch and the electromagnetic means comprises a coil connected in series with said switch to the supply source.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main contactor is a switch having three positions, namely off, on" and starting," the electromagnetic means having a coil connected in series with said switch when the switch is in the on position.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manual control element is combined with a switch in the circuit controlling the starter so as to simultaneously control the switch to prevent supply of current to the starter if the valve element closes the supply conduit.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic means has a moving part which carries the lock.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a switch connected in series in the heating circuit and controlled by a relay having a coil, a heat-responsive contact, a heating resistance for heating the heat-responsive contact and a battery-charging indicator of the vehicle, the coil being connected in series with the heat responsive contact and in parallel with the heating resistance and the indicator. 

1. A device for a starting and stopping a Diesel engine, comprising an electric supply source, a main contactor having an ''''on'''' and an ''''off'''' position, a heating circuit, a starter for the engine, a circuit controlling the starter, an engine fuel supply conduit, a closing valve element in the supply conduit, a manual control element for actuating the valve element, a lock adapted to lock the manual control element in a first position of the manual control element which corresponds to a position of the valve element for opening the fuel supply conduit, resiliently yieldable return means combined with the manual control element for biasing the manual control element to a second position thereof for closing the supply conduit, electromagnetic means electromagnetically controlling the lock, the manual control element being maintained in the locked position by the lock so long as the main contactor of the vehicle is in the ''''on'''' position, in opposition to the action of the return means.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main contactor is a switch and the electromagnetic means comprises a coil connected in series with said switch to the supply source.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main contactor is a switch having three positions, namely ''''off,'''' ''''on'''' and ''''starting,'''' the electromagnetic means having a coil connected in series with said switch when the switch is in the ''''on'''' position.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the manual control element is combined with a switch in the circuit controlling the starter so as to simultaneously control the switch to prevent supply of current to the starter if the valve element closes the supply conduit.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic means has a moving part which carries the lock.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising a switch connected in series in the heating circuit and controlled by a relay having a coil, a heat-responsive contact, a heating resistance for heating the heat-responsive contact and a battery-charging indicator of the vehicle, the coil being connected in series with the heat responsive contact and in parallel with the heating resistance and the indicaTor. 